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Taiwan needs support against threats from China: President Xi is playing into US hands

Taiwan needs support against threats from China: President Xi is playing into US hands

Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

President Xi Jinping of China needs to focus on statecraft because issues related to Xinjiang, Tibet, and territorial disputes all threaten to derail the international outreach of this nation. Hence, with China being under the spotlight based on increasing religious persecution of Christians and Muslims alike – while still shackling Buddhist Tibet – then statecraft is badly needed. Otherwise, Xi will merely play into the hands of nations that seek to contain China.

Xi, reported in the South China Morning Post, aimed more harsh words at Taiwan. He stated, “All military units must correctly understand major national security and development trends, and strengthen their sense of unexpected hardship, crisis and battle.”

Yet, with a potent tariff war between America and China being ongoing and media reports focusing on growing religious persecution in this nation, then Xi needs to contain his rhetoric. Equally important, America, the United Kingdom, and other nations are increasingly concerned by espionage, intellectual property theft, hacking, and other ills being blamed on China. Therefore, with China already being at odds with many regional nations in the South China Sea, it is clear that Xi needs to focus on statecraft rather than playing into the hands of America.

President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan is alarmed by recent rhetoric emanating from the corridors of power in Beijing. Hence, the leader of Taiwan is appealing to democratic nations to show support for independent Taiwan against bellicose threats from China in recent times. Of course, tensions between China and Taiwan is nothing new – just like major economic trade continues despite geopolitical and independent issues – but with the administration of President Donald Trump in America being unpredictable, then Xi needs greater patience.

Newsweek reports, “Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to prepare for battle on Friday, as Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-Wen called for international support to defend the island’s democracy amid renewed threats of unification from the mainland.”

Xi stated strongly, “[China must] prepare for a comprehensive military struggle from a new starting point… Preparation for war and combat must be deepened to ensure an efficient response in times of emergency.”

The bellicose comments by Xi come on top of the leader of China threatening Taiwan that elites in Beijing had the right to retake the territory of Taiwan. However, Tsai, playing statecraft in the traditional Chinese way, pointedly stated, “We hope that the international community takes it seriously and can voice support and help us.”

The leader of Taiwan also played the democratic angle and the fear that China may go further if the threat was enacted. Hence, Tsai countered by stating, “We might have to ask which country might be next?”

In a past article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated, “President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan is an extremely robust female leader of this nation and clearly, she doesn’t want to be tied down to the whims of China. Indeed, it is in the interest of China to accept the cultural, economic, legal, and political differences between both nations that openly trade. Similarly, favorable political relations and the acknowledgment of the independence of Taiwan would prevent any meddling from the United States. After all, unneeded tensions between China and Taiwan would become history and instead the natural bonds would flow. Thereby, the possibility of America’s containment policy aimed at China would be weakened naturally in this part of the East China Sea.”

Overall, the leader of China should focus on traditional statecraft, rather than threatening Taiwan to such an extreme. This especially applies given tariff, hacking, espionage, geopolitical, and other important issues increasing between America and China. In other words, Xi should not play the game set out by America. Instead, the leader of China should focus on improved relations with Taiwan in order to reduce the meddling of the Trump administration.